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Hi

According to me, it's not possible because this kind of sensor require to be powered all the time. It will empty the EmonTh batteries in few time. That's why I'm investigating using LDR instead of photodiode.

Eric
 

No I'm afraid not possible to use optical sensor with the emonTH since it will drain the emonTH batteries very quickly 

Ok thanks. Would it be possible to have a powered EmonTH as an option?  You could then remote out the sensors and have the pi itself in a better location. Might make a gas sensor easier as well.  Just a thought.

Hi Brian - You can add a mini usb socket to the emonTH if you remove the battery carrier ( and make a hole in the case) as the pcb has the footprint there it just isn't fitted. Or you could power via the ftdi header or the same terminal block a sensor could connect to.

So while the "new Optical Utility Meter LED Pulse Sensor" will not connect directly to the emonTH as it has no RJ45 socket and the batteries aren't up to it, you can count pulses with a powered emonTH and some minimal modding to interconnect the sensor, power supply and emonTH.

​Paul 

Great thanks.  Just wonder if it is worth offering as an option on the TH (plus an RJ45 socket). It would mean you did not need to hide the EmonPi away next to the consumer unit (which is a shame as it looks so nice!).  I'd also like an adapter so I did not need to cut off the RJ45 plug incase I upgrade from an EmonTX.  Sometimes I feel early adopters get penalised as products develop.

Cheers.

No need to chop the sensor, just source a RJ45 socket, a socket to match your power adapter and interlink them with the tails entering a vent on the emonTH into the screw terminals.

To make a neater more permanent solution, remove the emonTH battery carrier, fit the mini usb and glue a RJ45 socket on it's side, to the pcb where the non-terminal end of the battery carrier was. with a couple of well place holes for the RJ45 and  power plug it would be a proper mod.

Paul